Original Observer Photography: April

Original Observer Photography: April

What have we been doing this month? Documenting the unrest in Egypt, the drama of the Grand National, the legacy of Stephen Lawrence and the celibacy of Rupert Everett. Not forgetting portraits of Laura Marling, Plan B and Savages. This is a showcase of the best photography commissioned by the Observer this month

Thursday 25 April 2013 11.42 EDT
First published on Thursday 25 April 2013 11.42 EDT

Laura Marling photographed at home in Los Angeles.Steve Schofield: 'Two things you should know about Laura Marling: she makes great salad and has a very nice wooden bench handmade by a local carpenter called Jesus'.Read the interview with Laura in this Sunday's Observer

Rupert Everett photographed at J Sheekey restaurant in London for an
interview in the Observer Magazine.Hamish Brown: 'Tired from the previous night's meal and interview, Rupert arrived wearing skanky Adidas track suit bottoms and scuffed trainers, holding a white shirt that evidently hadn't seen an iron for a while. We didn't have much time so we used his overcoat for the cover shot to hide the crumples and creases. He is, I must say, a fantastic chap'

YouTubers Lex Croucher (tyrannosauruslexxx), Benjamin Cook (ninebrassmonkeys) and Shirley B. Eniang (shirleybeniang). Photographed at the Google offices in Covent Garden, London, for a big
feature on the new generation taking on television

Anti-government protesters pick their way through a dust storm en route to a demonstration outside the Muslim Brotherhood HQ in Mokattam, Egypt.Gary Calton: 'The reporter Tracy McVeigh and I met protesters in Tahrir Square and decided to follow them to a demonstration at the Muslim Brotherhood HQ, a 60-minute drive from central Cairo. The coach drivers, fearing reprisals for carrying opposition demonstrators, refused to get any closer than three miles from the HQ. As the demonstrators disembarked, the situation was very tense. Were we in Brotherhood heartland. How would we get to the HQ ? How would we get home ? And of course, as journalists, were we safe in this area? The previous weekend there had been three deaths and 17 fellow journalists had been severely beaten covering a demo in Tahrir Square.'

Gary Calton: 'I wanted to see a little more of Cairo outside of what I had planned. We were working in a community centre in the Manial Sheiha District. Walking round this area, with a group of children as my guide, I stumbled upon this ice cream seller. This area is technically classed as slum dwellings, and I think we are all guilty of certain preconceptions of life in slums. What this image confronts, if anything at all, are our ideas of life in such places.'See more of Gary Calton's images from Egypt
here

Government opposition supporters arm themselves near the Mokattam mosque in Cairo.Gary Calton: 'Ambulances were racing back and forth to the demonstration at the Brotherhood HQ. As we got closer, demonstrators started to get hold of anything they could use to throw or protect themselves with. Shortly after this image was taken, the group we were with were ambushed by Brotherhood supporters leaving a mosque after Friday prayers. We never reached our destination, prevented by a stream of rocks, tear gas and confrontations on a road half a mile away from the HQ.'Read Tracy McVeigh's report on the trip
here

Zdenka Fantlova, an actress and pianist who survived the Holocaust at Terezin Concentration Camp in the former Czechoslovakia, photographed at her home in London.Antonio Olmos: 'It is not every day you meet a survivor of the Holocaust. I went to her flat to do a video and a portrait. Sometimes in the rush to get everything right technically you sort of forget why you are there. As the video rolled and she told her story I was overcome with emotion. Listening to her tell such an amazing story of her survival was deeply moving. I had a hard time concentrating on the portrait after that. I thought to myself it was days like these that remind me of what a deep privilege it is to be a photographer and a journalist.' You can read Ed Vulliamy's article life inside the Nazi camp and watch Antonio's video of Zdenka
here

Mark Grant on Soll crashes through the Chair fence during the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree.Having finished seventh, jockey Mark Grant said after the race: 'That was brilliant. He's given me a great spin. He missed the Chair but recovered nicely from that. I thought going over the Melling Road we might get placed, but it's great to get round'

Former cricket umpire Dickie Bird at home near Barnsley in Yorkshire, photographed for a
Q&A in the Observer Magazine.Gary Calton: 'Dickie was very proud of his considerable cricketing achievements. Many of his honours were on display, including his MBE. The wall is covered with photographs and paintings of him in action or meeting dignitaries. "Come into the front room" he urged. "Look, that's me meeting the Queen." As I worked he continually asked: "Have you got the Queen in the picture?". He's a proud man'

Metallic fashion shoot for the Observer Magazine.Observer fashion editor Jo Jones: 'The idea of mixing textures was foremost in the Metallic shoot. The distressed walls and old fairground signs created the perfect juxtaposition against the shiny metallic clothes. MC Motors at
Castle Gibson was the perfect location'

Prisoners photographed inside the Burso Arsizio prison, near Milan, Italy. Dolci Liberta (Sweet Freedom), which has a chocolate factory inside the prison, runs special training courses for the prisoners. Upon completion, they obtain a qualification which is recognised in the outside world. This aids them to reintegrate back into society. Their truffles have gone on to win awards at the International Chocolate Awards 2012. Read more about them and the scheme
here

Kia Sewell, who was interviewed for a feature about how Eltham in south London has changed in the 20 years since Stephen Lawrence was murdered there.Read what she had to say and see more of Antonio's pictures
here

Doreen Lawrence photographed at the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford, London, to accompany an
interview in the New Review, in which she talked about her memories of her son, who was murdered by racists 20 years ago. 'You can only forgive those who seek forgiveness'

Natalie Hutton, who was interviewed for a feature about how Eltham in south London has changed in the 20 years since Stephen Lawrence was murdered there.Read what she had to say and see more of Antonio's pictures
here

The European refugee crisis, the Labour leadership election, the Rugby World Cup. All this plus New Order, Penelope Cruz and Dynamo in this showcase of the best photography commissioned by the Observer in September